Democracy Talents, Hamburg
The project empowers young people in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods in Hamburg in democratic and digital skills, enabling them to form their own well-informed opinions. Through hands-on experience, dialogue, and their own active participation, they become active shapers of our society.
Project Info
Populism, disinformation, and digital manipulation pose major challenges to democratic societies. Young people navigate digital spaces shaped by algorithms, filter bubbles, social media, and AI. To navigate these spaces, they need a basic understanding of democracy, as well as critical media literacy, sound judgment, and the ability to engage in dialogue. These skills are developed primarily through active experience and interaction.
This is where the “Democracy Talents” project comes in, creating spaces where young people not only understand democracy but also experience it firsthand. It specifically targets schools in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods of Hamburg, where participation is often not a given. Over the course of a year, workshops on democracy, media literacy, and critical thinking strengthen students’ ability to evaluate information, recognize disinformation, and form their own well-informed opinions.
In addition to theory, the young people take action themselves. They initiate projects, lead debates, and advocate for respectful coexistence – at school, in daily life, and online. Supported by trained teachers who embed democratic education in the classroom on a long-term basis, a growing network of young people is emerging who take responsibility and actively help shape society.
